Learning English with YouTube Videos

In today’s guest post, our friends at ESL.com show you how to improve your English by watching YouTube videos.

Learning English can be a fun way to immerse yourself in a different culture. You can brush up on your comprehension skills by watching American or British films and television shows. You can even get some practice by watching random YouTube videos. But, if actual instruction is what you’re looking for, there are channels for that – and they’re free!

Below are reviews of some of my favorite English-learning YouTube channels.

Fluency MC, also known as Jason R. Levine, teaches English with self-penned hip-hop songs. Jason has developed his own form of song-based English teaching, called ColloLearn, and has led teacher-training programs in 14 countries. He also does instructor recruiting and online teaching at WizIQ. But what I like best about Jason, a.k.a. Fluency MC, is his all-ages-friendly music. Others must agree – the Fluency MC video StickStuckStuck has received 3,063,698 views! For a great intro to Fluency MC, check out Alphabet Song (“A to Z Letters”), which was performed live with students at Langue & Nature, in Château de la Mazure, Laval, France.

Rachel’s English features a vast assortment of playlists, such as American English in Real Life, Word of the Week, Words That Reduce, and Sounds – How To, all for non-native English speakers. Many of the videos focus on dissecting American pronunciation, word usage and phrases for English students. What’s also great about Rachel’s videos is that, while they’re thorough and comprehensive, many of the videos also have a fun, slice-of-life feel that illuminates the viewer on real American culture and customs. Watch Learn American English with ALLIGATORS! to accompany Rachel to a nature reserve in Florida.

Julian, who is currently residing in Japan, gives slightly cheeky British English instruction, like in his video Push Yourself to Learn English. He takes you on hikes, recounts the adventures he’s had while living in Japan, and answers user questions, like, “how can I learn English faster?” Julian’s free English instruction includes a daily newsletter that contains “tips, stories and anecdotes for mastering English.” Julian offers premium programs on his website, DoingEnglish.com.

Luca is one of those rare individuals who is able to identify himself as a polyglot – someone who is able to speak and/or write in several languages. Luca is fluent in 10(!) languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese. Watch How to Develop a Language Core, where Luca and fellow polyglot David Mansaray discuss, in English, the necessary steps involved in transitioning from language learning to language proficiency. Luca is also a regular blogger on his site, ThePolyglotDream.com.

On the English Class 101 YouTube channel, new lessons are released every Tuesday & Friday. They include a Weekly Words video, like Words That Make You Sound Smart, where you can bump up your vocabulary skills with terms like “esoteric” and “acquiesce.” English Class 101 videos feature a roster of English teachers, so you can enjoy a variety of personalities with your lessons. Need quick tips on the go? English Class 101 has a free app, called Innovative Language 101, for Android & iOS!

Andrea of ESL Basics teaches American English by using field examples of words, phrases and concepts to engage students with real-life visuals and situations. ESL Basics videos utilize facial close-ups more than other English learning videos, which is very helpful in pronunciation instruction. Watch Move Your Mouth – A Pronunciation Tip to see use-of-close-up advantages in action. ESL Basics also has an e-book: 21 Ways to Jumpstart Your English Skills, that’s available for download in pdf format.

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About the Author: This article was written by Travis Drageset, an English-learning resources specialist at ESL.com. Check out the ESL.com Videos Page, where ESL.com hosts American, British and polyglot English learning YouTube channels.

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